Desk



June 26, 1956 J, SHEA, SR 2,752,218

DESK

Filed March 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z M, Q if g;

\ A I f1 5 10" if W z 3 i/ I 3 if 1 INVEN TOR. 5&4, 6r.

Eq/Elr' J. J. SHEA, SR

June 26, 1956 DESK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1954 w W H a w w flii|u||| F Y).

\ IlliiLI F 1 531 .4. FE.

VENTOR. M; J&%

Way/Eu ZIPW DESK James J. Shea, Sn, Springfield, Mass, assignor toMilton Bradley Company, Springfield, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application March 9, 1954, Serial No. 415,053

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-255) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in furniture and is directed more particularly toimprovements in furniture particularly adapted for use in schools andthe like.

A principal object of the invention is directed to the provision offurniture which is so constructed and arranged that one sitting at adesk may easily and readily move the limbs from therebeneath.

In rising from a seat at the ordinary desk, there is ordinarilyconsiderable interference of the persons limbs with the desk support.More particularly, the knees bring up against the side supports of thedesk. According to a novel feature of this invention, a supporting meansof the desk is so formed that one sitting before the same may swingsideways and pass the knees sideways and outwardly without any undueinterference with the desk supporting means.

According to another novel feature of the invention, the height offurniture such as a desk is adjustable so as to accommodate occupants ofvarious heights and while this invention has been shown in connectionwith a desk, it is also adapted for use with chairs and the like.

The adjustable mechanism is readily and easily manipulated yet it isconstructed and arranged so as to be inconspicuous thereby discouragingtampering thereof by unauthorized persons.

One of the primary purposes of my invention is to provide structural andoperational improvements in devices of the class to which reference hasbeen made, which improvements not only simplify the structure as such,but also provide distinct advantages in strength, durability, eificiencyand the like.

With the above primary objects in view, it is another object of myinvention to provide a construction of the above described character inwhich the number of operating parts is greatly reduced and which iscompact with the demands and desires of manufacturers and purchasersalike and which is not only distinctive in its appearance and practicalin its value but also reliable in its operation and eflicient in itsuse.

All of the above objects I accomplish by means of such structure andrelative arrangements of parts thereof, as will fully appear by aperusal of the description below and by various specific features whichwill be hereinafter set forth.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and variousother novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention aswill become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, myinvention consists in certain novel features of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fullydescribed and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a desk embodying the novel featuresof the invention;

2,752,218 Patented June 26, 1956 Fig. 2 is a sectionalplan view at aforward corner of the desk on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a small scale sectional plan view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial elevational view of a lower portion of one of thelegs of the desk to illustrate the novel features of the adjustingmechanism of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view through the portionof the leg shown in. Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the foot of one of the legs of thestructure;

Fig. 7 is a sectional 4; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged partial elevational view of one of the legs of thestructure.

In the accompanying drawings, I have. illustrated a complete example ofa physical embodiment of the invention in which the parts are combinedand arranged in accordance with one mode which I have devised for thepractical application of the principles of the invention.

It will, however, be understood that changes and alterations arecontemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings andmechanical structures, within the scope of the claim, without departingfrom the principles of the invention.

In the following description and claim, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience. These names, however, areintended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

In the above-mentioned drawings annexed hereto and forming a part ofthis specification, I have shown but; one embodiment of the inventionwhich is deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes andmodifications may be made in various respects and within the scope of:the appended claim without departing from the broad aspects and spiritof the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, in which similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures andreferring more particularly to the preferred form of my inventionselected for illustrative purposes, I have shown in Fig. 1 a deskgenerally indicated by the numeral 2 which includes an upper receptaclehaving side walls 4-, a front wall 6 and a rear wall 8.

A top 10 is swingable upwardly at 12 by means of suitable hingeconnections (not shown).

Instead of the top being swingable, the top may be immovable and thewall 8 may be omitted so as to provide access into the receptacle.

In any case, the receptacle will be formed with a bottom or lower wall14.

All of the various members may be formed from metal or wood as may bedesired.

Upper side frame members 16 are secured to the bottom wall 14 by anysuitable means such as screws, bolts or the like. A forward frame member18 may be likewise secured to the receptacle along the forward side ofthe bottom wall member 14 also as by screws, bolts or the like.

Forward legs 20 extend downwardly from the forward end portions of theupper side frame members 16 and rear legs 22 extend downwardly from therear end portions of the upper side frame members 16. i

The frame members and legs are preferably formed from metal tubing, samebeing relatively light in weight as well as strong and rigid. The legsmay be fixed to the frame members in any suitable manner such as bybrazing, welding or the like so as to provide a smooth secure jointureand rigid construction.

A lower frame member generally indicated by numeral 24 is in the form ofa U having side portions 26 which plan view on the line 7-7 of Fig.

curve at forward ends into a forward transverse run 28 as in Fig. 3. Themember 24 will also he formed from tubing and the rear ends of thesideportions 26 thereof will be secured to the rear legs 22 as by brazing,welding or the like. Curved portions 26 of the frame 24 will besimilarly secured to the forward legs 20, as shown in Fig. 3.

Upper portions 22 of the rear legs 22 are offset forwardly of the lowerportions thereof, such as shown in Fig. 1. Such an arrangement providesa space below the rear portion of the receptacle so that one sitting atthe desk may swing the knees therethrough when arising from the desk. Inthis way, movement of the knees outwardly from the desk is notinterfered with as is the case with known prior art desks.

Feet 30 are slidably adjustable up and down in lower ends of the legs 29and 22 and are adapted for adjustment of the desk at various heightsfrom the floor.

Means are provided for releasably holding the feet 30 in variouspositions longitudinally of the legs 29 and/or 22. Same will bedescribed in connection with one leg 20 as the identical construction isemployed in connection with each of the legs.

The foot 30 as in Fig. 4 is formed from tubing and is reciprocable inthe leg 20. Said foot 30 is provided on one side thereof with aplurality of longitudinally spaced openings or sockets 32 which areconnected by elongated slots 34. The leg 20 is provided with upper andlower longitudinally spaced holes 36 and 37.

The foot 30 is also provided with openings 32 in a side opposite to thesaid one side and in alignment with the sockets 32.

An elongated leaf spring 33 is provided within the leg 20 and foot 30and has a lower end 40 for hearing against the inner side of the foot30, as in Fig. 5.

Upper and lower retainers 42 and 44 respectively are spacedlongitudinally of the spring 38 and are fixed thereto. Said retainershave outer hubs 46 and 48 respectively which are receivable in the holes36 and 37 of the leg 20.

The lower hub 48 is also receivable in any one of the sockets 32 of thefoot member 39, all as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The retainers 42 and 44 as in Figs. 4 and are internally threadedaxially thereof and set screws 56 and 52 are in threaded engagementtherewith. The set screws are preferably of the hollow head type such asAllen screws.

Such set screws have a depression in the outer head ends thereof whichare non-round and are, for illustrative purposes, hexagonal, as at 56 inFig. 8. A wrench may be inserted in the depressions 56 for turning theset screws and the screws and slots 34 of the foot 30 are of sufiicientwidth to allow longitudinal movements of the foot 30 relative to thewrench in the outer end of the screw 52.

The upper screw 56 is adjusted so that its inner end impinges the innerside of leg 26 which holds the hub 46 of the upper retainer 42 in theopening 36 of the leg 20 so that the spring 38 depends therefrom as isexemplified in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the hub 43 of the lower retainer 44 is disposed in thesocket 32 of the foot. That is, the second from the upper end thereof.The screw 52 extends througha hole 32 and bears against leg 20 to holdthe hub 48 in the opening 37 of the leg whereby the foot and legare-releasably held in the position of adjustment as shown.

When it is desired to move the foot up or down to adjust the height ofthe desk, a wrench is inserted in the depression 56 of the lower screw52. The screw is turned so as to back it off from the member 20. Whensame is backed off sufiiciently, the screw is pressed inwardly by thewrench so that the hub 48 of the retainer 44 is moved inwardly from theopening 37 of the leg 20 and the socket 32 of the foot 30. The foot 30may then be moved up or down relative to the leg 20 and, when the screwis released, the spring 38 urges the retainer 44 outwardly so that thehub 48 may enter a socket 32 of the foot in register with the opening 37of the leg. The wrench holds the hub 48 inwardly while the slots 34 ofthe foot permit longitudinal movement of said foot relative to the leg.

In the adjusted position, the screw 52 is tightened to bind on the legand to hold the hub 48 in the opening 37 of the leg.

There may be as many sockets 32 in the foot 30 as may be desired inorder to obtain the desired and necessary adjustment of the leg andfoot.

The parts willbe so located that the hubs of the retainers will belocated on inner sides of the legs as indicated by L in Fig. 1.

The parts will be arranged to be as inconspicuous as possible so as toavoid the possibility of unauthorized tampering.

My invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asillustrative and not as restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription. All modifications and variations as fall within the meaningand purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are thereforeintended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

Leg construction adjustable in length for supporting a desk or the likecomprising, an elongated tubular upper leg section and a tubular footslidable therein, said upper leg section provided on a forward wallthereof with longitudinally spaced upper and lower hub receiving holes,said foot provided on a forward wall thereof with hub receivinglongitudinally spaced sockets and with connecting slots and withopenings aligned with the sockets in the rear wall thereof, an upperretainer secured in the upper hole of said upper leg section, aresilient leaf spring secured thereto and depending therefrom withinsaid upper leg section and into said foot and having a lower endengaging the rear wall of said foot, a lower retainer intermediate theends of said spring and fixed thereto having a forward hub receivablein-a socket of said foot and the lower hole of said upper leg section, acontrol screw threaded in the lower retainer for inner and outerpositions thereof having an inner end adapted in inner position of saidscrew to engage the rear wall of said upper leg section through one ofsaid openings in the rear wall of said foot to urge the hub of saidretainer into the lower hole of said upper leg section and a socket ofsaid foot aligned with the opening to thereby lock said upper legsection and foot against relative axial movement and arranged in outerposition to permit the hub of the lower retainer to be depressedinwardly out of said hole and against the action of said spring wherebysaid upper leg section and foot are free for relative axial movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent Switzerland Aug. 16,

